How to save energy and reduce your electricity bill - Check Consumption

Check Consumption

Many of us know very little about how much electricity our appliances actually use although we often see power consumption labels attached to the apparatus.

Now is it possible to measure the consumption of each individual appliance we have in the house. A device called energy monitor available that just plug into the wall socket and give a reading in Watts together with the actual running cost in dollars per hour. The measurement made can be very revealing. Most of of us knows that electric fires are very expensive to run but do you know exactly how much per hours yours costs?

Most of the devices at your home when left switched off are still consume energy. Although, product manufacturers has improve through the years to minimize the electricity consumptions at standby mode, the electricity is not totally cut-off. This is because when there are on standby mode, much of the circuitry is still operational and therefore consuming power. It is always good to identify which device at home so that you can save electricity bill by switching off at the main socket.

There is now a way to monitor the entire home energy consumptions. This usually a tedious task for the home user. You need to switch on one appliance at a time to know how much individual device is consuming electricity watt. Now, monitoring energy consumption made much easier with a portable unit called the TED The Energy Detective Electricity Monitor TED1001 with Footprints Software that can be used anywhere in the house. You can now read from the display in real time the electricity consumption and the cost whenever you need it. You can even know how much volume of the greenhouse gases produced in the generation of the power used.

Now that you have learned about the consumption of each of your electrical appliances in your house, you will be much more knowledgeable to plan and save energy and reduce your electricity bill. These also enable you to understand and choose your future appliances which uses minimum energy to power up the device and not gone to waste. The initial cost of these device may seem an expenses to you at the the start, but it is a valuable investment for mid-term because you will be able to see subsequent savings of up to 25%. Therefore the initial cost can be paid off quickly than you thought.

Home Energy Saving Tips

Energy saving tips from SaskEnergy

Here are some tips to help you save energy, save money and do your part for the environment.

Try these easy, low-cost or no-cost energy saving tips. See how easy it is to save energy and money.

Furnace

Keep your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted with annual maintenance. If your furnace is working at peak efficiency it will use less energy and cost less to operate.

Clean or replace the filter every 1-2 months - a dirty filter reduces the airflow and forces the furnace to run longer to heat your home.

Consider purchasing a new ENERGY STAR® qualified furnace with a variable speed motor. An average home can save up to $549 in natural gas and electrical costs annually when upgrading from a standard 60% efficiency natural gas furnace to a 95% efficiency furnace with a high efficiency variable speed motor.

Click here to see a video on how to change your furnace filter

Thermostat

Lower your thermostat by 4 - 5 degrees Celsius (7 - 9 degrees Fahrenheit) while you're sleeping at night and when no one is at home.

Install a programmable thermostat. You can save 2% on your heating bill for every 1 degree C you turn down your thermostat. With a programmable thermostat to consistently lower your heat when you don’t need it, you could save up to $71 a year!

Laundry

Switch to cold when doing your laundry. 85 – 90% of the energy used to wash your clothes is used to heat the water. By turning the dial to cold on your washing machine, you help the environment, save energy, and save money.

Wash full loads.

Choose a front loading washing machine. Not only does a front loading washing machine save water, it saves energy as well. It uses about 40% less water and about 50% less energy.

Weather-stripping

Weather-stripping provides a barrier between the fixed and movable sections of doors and windows. Apply weather-stripping to operable windows, exterior doors, garage doors, and doors that lead to the attic.

Click here to see a video on how to apply weather-stripping to exterior doors

Windows, doorframes, sills and joints

Apply a sealant or caulk around windows, doorframes, sills and joints. On a windy day feel for leaks or use a couple of incense sticks to help identify leaks around windows, electrical outlets, vents and exterior doors. As well look for spider webs - if there is a web there is a draft.

Use plastic window covers to help prevent heat loss.

Keep return air grills and heating vents clear of furniture, rugs and drapes, so there is no interference with the flow of heat through your home.

Click here to see a video on how to apply caulking to windows and doors

Click here to see a video on how to apply shrink film to windows

Basement

If you have an unfinished basement or crawlspace, check for leaks by looking for spider webs. If there is a web, there is a draft. A large amount of heat is also lost from an un-insulated basement.

Add insulation to basement walls.

Drapes & Blinds

On sunny days, open south facing drapes and let the sun in, a natural source of heat. If you have large windows that don't receive direct sun, keep the drapes closed.

Close your drapes and blinds during the night.

Pipes, ducts, fans and vents

Plug gaps around pipes, ducts, fans and vents that go through walls, ceilings and floors from heated to unheated spaces.

Showerheads and faucets

Install low-flow showerheads and faucets.

Click here to see a video on how to install a low-flow showerhead

Click here to see a video on how to install a Water Wizard ™

Dishwasher

Always wash a full load in your dishwasher and air-dry your dishes on the “energy saver” setting.

Garage

Turn on the heat just prior to use, save by not heating it continuously.

Wood Fireplace

Close the damper to prevent warm air from escaping through the chimney, and ensure the damper fits properly.

Other

See what the big energy users in your home are and get suggestions for changes to save energy and money using energy check, a quick an easy home energy audit found on the SaskEnergy website.

How to reduce your electricity bill

If you have been bogged by the enormous electricity bills you have been getting, it is time to take some concrete steps. You can reduce your electricity bills by following very simple steps. This article will list some simple, easy-to-do things to reduce your electricity bill.

Limited use: Start with the room you are sitting in. If you were to take a call in another room or join your family at the dining table, would you just step out of your room without any concern for the electrical appliances in the room? If you would, stop right there, and look around. Switch off all the appliances even if you would be back in five minutes. Yes, even that will help. Every drop of water constitutes to the ocean.

Another thing to take care of here is what you perceive as an electronic appliance. Would you switch off the television set, turn off the fan, but not the light bulb? Yes, you need light, but not now when you are leaving the room. Taking care of these small things will go a long way in reducing the dreaded huge electricity bills.

Smart investments: Make some smart power investments by replacing your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. These bulbs are a great power-saving investment.

Buy the Power Save gadget. The gadget helps monitor the power supply to your house and uses the minimum that is needed.

Home appliance usage: Most of us complain that the electricity bill touches the sky because of the number of electrical appliances they have at home. However, the electricity bill is not directly proportional to the number of gadgets you use but the way you use them. Let’s see how you can avoid the typical power-wasters.
• Use the washing machine only when there is a full load of clothes.
• Keep the geyser on for the minimal amount of time.
• Keep the air-conditioner at the minimum low or high temperature, just enough to keep you off the heat or the cold outside.
• Switch off the computer monitor even when you take a one-minute break. It takes just a second to switch on the monitor again!

Yeah, you have to stick to this way of life for saving power at home and for the world.

Remember, reducing your electricity bill is equivalent to saving power, thus helping the world save power for its future generations.

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